VELA, a company focused on sustainable shipping, is developing a wind-powered trimaran to transport cargo across the Atlantic. This innovative vessel aims to offer a faster and more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional shipping methods.
While sea freight typically takes 10-15 days for an Atlantic crossing, VELA’s trimaran leverages advanced route planning and wind power to achieve similar transit times. By using sails and optimizing its route, the ship can avoid unfavorable weather conditions and capitalize on favorable winds.
To further enhance efficiency, VELA has designed the trimaran to accommodate standard pallets instead of bulky shipping containers. This reduces the overall weight of cargo and emissions. The ship can carry up to 450 pallets, equivalent to 51 standard containers.
In September 2024, VELA secured $43 million in funding to support the construction of its first cargo trimaran. This investment will enable the company to move forward with building the world’s largest wind-powered cargo trimaran.
The trimaran, dubbed “L’avion des Mers” (The Sea Plane), will be equipped with solar panels, hydro-generators, and sails. It is expected to offer unprecedentedly fast transit times for transatlantic crossings while maintaining high reliability and quality standards.
Reference- Clean Technica, VELA website and newsroom, Interesting Engineering, Business Wire